Name
Frederick John Read(*1)
1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/04/1916
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
16339
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 31-33
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, British Schools Museum Memorial, Hitchin, Knebworth Village Memorial
Pre War
Frederick was born in 1889 in Hitchin and his parents were a George and Emma Reed.
In 1891 the family were living at Brick Kiln, Bedford Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents: George (47) and Emma (40), with George working as a brickmaker. Their children were: William (24), Annie (15), May (3) and Fred John (2).
By1901 the family were living at 6 Blackhorse Lane, Hitchin. Present were both parents, with George still working as a brickmaker. Of the children listed above, William and Annie were absent, May was now listed as Edith M (13) and new siblings were Florence (9), Clara (8) and Rose Gertude (6).
In 1911 the family were still at 6 Black House Lane. Still present were both parents – George now listed as a general labourer together with Frederick now 21 working as a house painter and his sister was also present. The census recorded George and Emma had been married for 25 years with 6 children, of whom 1 had died.
Frederick married Agnes Keren-happuch Sole (b 17/12/1892) in the third quarter of 1914. They has a son, Frederick George (b 9/10/1914).
Before joining up he was employed as a painter and decorator by Mr T.F. Harrison of Kings Walden and it was reported that he volunteered for service a month after the outbreak of war.
Officially Frederick was recorded as born in Hitchin, Herts. and living in Knebworth, Herts.
At the time of his death his mother was a widow.
Wartime Service
He was allocated Regimental Number 16339 in the 8th Battalion of the Bedfords. It is not known when he went overseas but it was not before 1916.
Following an attack by the Germans on the evening of the 19th April 1916 against the position held by the 8th Bedfords known as the Duck's Bill in the Mortaldje Salient, the Battalion was relieved during the night of the 20th/21st April. By this time the Battalion had lost over a quarter of its strength. Frederick was killed in action in Belgium on the 21st..
He has no known grave but is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres in Belgium.
Additional Information
*1 His name is spelt ‘Reed’ in the Hitchin memorials.
After his death widow Agnes received a war gratuity of £7 was authorised to be paid to her on 7 October 1919.
His pension cards record Mrs Agnes Keren-happuch Read, his widow, as his next of kin, living at 3 Westland Road, Knebworth Station, Herts. She was awarded a pension of 15s a week from 13 November 1916. Her details were later amended to Mrs Agnes Keren-happuch Jackson, of Tynedale, Derby Road, Winkworth, Surrey after she re-married in 1930.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
